Hello? Hello? Hello? Is anyone there? Like a bad case of the squirts, I have returned just when you thought you got rid of me. BTW I don't own Supernatural. Also, I bent a character to a role in this story. Also a trigger warning for abuse, but you all know the drill in Supernatural.

December 23rd, 2004

Dean was happy when he woke up. It filled his body and warmed the cold spot he had been harboring in his chest for the last several months. Bobby had that effect on him. He was warm and steady in all the ways John was not, and Dean was free just to be himself when he was around the older hunter. The headache that had rocked his world the day before was long gone and just a fleeing memory by the time he and bobby parted ways last night. Not even the blaring alarm clock dampened his mood when it sounded at 6 AM.

He left the bed and started throwing the grease-stained clothing he had worn yesterday. He stretched. Today was going to be a good day. He could feel it. Then he heard someone start banging on the front door, and Dean felt tension start building in his shoulders. He knew that knock, intense and demanding. There was barely a space between where one knock ended and a new one began. His dad was here, and he had a sinking suspicion why. He dug into his pockets, just pulling out shop rags. He walked to the duffle next to the door and searched for his flip phone. There was, of course, nothing in there.

He scrubbed his face furiously. He was an idiot. Now John was here to kick his ass, and Bobby was about to watch the entire shit show. Where was that damn phone anyway? It had to be in the Impala. Dean sighed and ran his fingers threw his hair, hearing Rummy barking and Bobby cursing at the front door. Dean cracked the door slightly to see if he was right.

"God almighty John, you're going to break down the door!" Bobby hollered, opening the heavy oak door.

"Then don't leave me in the damn cold, Bobby! Where the hell is Dean?" John replied in an equally demanding and annoyed tone.

"That boy has had a bad enough time without you chewing out his ass for what seems to be a misunderstanding. He's asleep, and if you try and wake him up, I can and will shoot you." Bobby bit back, blocking John's access to the stairway.

"Don't tell me how to raise my boy Bobby" John growled, taking a step closer to Bobby.

"Raise your boy? John, he is twenty-three! He is a grown man who can take care of himself!" Bobby said, not stepping down from John. Then John shoved Bobby against the sitting room couch and started walking to the stairway.

Dean watched through the door crack as Bobby hit the furniture and fell to the ground. His head was pounding again. He needed to end this before it got worse. Bobby didn't deserve this bullshit.

"Don't touch Bobby!" Dean said, running down the stairs and pushing his dad aside to stand between the two men.

Bobby had already regained his footing and had found a shotgun.

"Dean, why the fuck have you been ignoring me?" John said, grabbing the front of Dean's shirt in both hands.

Dean tried to step back, but his dad advanced with him. Dean could smell the beer and whisky on his dad. John was drunk, just like he had been since Sam left. This was not good. Dean had thought he was doing better. He hadn't caught his dad drinking like this for a long time. But before he could reply to his dad, John cocked his arm back and slammed his fist into his temple, sending Dean stumbling back to the floor.

He couldn't see anything but stars, and his already pounding head started screaming, and all he could do was roll over and start heaving by Bobby's feet.

Bobby was screaming. Dean could feel the older man's rage without even looking at him.

Dean's world was rolling like a sick cruise ship, and he couldn't focus his eyes. More yelling echoed through the room with the growling from Rummy, who was waiting for Bobby to say the word.

"Get outta here, ya drunk!" Bobby yelled, pushing John bodily out the door.

"If I see yer drunk ass, here again, I'm gonna shoot you!" Bobby bellowed through the door, locking it.

Dean was on his hands and knees, holding onto the rug for dear life, trying to avoid the puddle of sick. Then he felt a pair of large warm hands start to pull him off the floor and lead him to what he assumed was the large armchair in the sitting room. Bobby lowered him gently onto the cushion, and Dean curled into himself, covering his head as soon as he was on the chair. He kept his eyes closed, trying not to see the room spinning.

"Hey now, son, let me see ya," Bobby said as he pulled Dean's hands away from his face and head.

Bobby's face swam in and out of focus as the hunter tilted his chin. Dean swallowed as the movement made his stomach roll.

"Dammit!" Bobby said, "Yer eyes aren't right, are they, son?"

"Blurry," Dean managed as he closed his eyes again and kept them shut.

"I'd imagine yer pupils are different sizes. I think we need to get you some professional help. "Is the room still spinning?" Bobby asked worriedly, noting the green color the boy had taken on.

Dean let out a hum in response.

"Let me make some calls. I'll take you to town. Do you think you can ride in a car?" Bobby asked as he let go of his kid's face and watched him curl up again.

Bobby opened the curtains slightly to look and see if the coast was clear. John was gone, and good thing that Bobby couldn't say he wouldn't shoot him on sight now after seeing Dean. Dean was about as concussed as Bobby had ever seen him. He was white as a ghost and had a wicked bruise and egg on his temple. Not to mention that his eyes were completely scrambled. Concussions were a nasty business.

"No hospital. I don't wanna ride." Dean slurred, keeping his head hidden. He'd rolled over where his face was tucked in the corner of the cushions trying to avoid the light.

Bobby sighed.

"Well, then, let me see what I can do. We will give you a few hours to see if you feel any better, then if not, no matter what, you're headed to the hospital. You hear me?" Bobby said, putting a hand on the nape of Dean's neck, trying to offer the boy some comfort.

Dean hummed and whined a little when Bobby moved his hand.

"Let me get you some ice," Bobby said in reply.

Leaving the boy to go to the kitchen. He grabbed the frozen peas and wrapped them in a kitchen towel. Setting that on the table, he reached for the phone and called up Rufus.

"Hello?" Rufus said.

"Rufus, this is Bobby. Are you around?" Bobby asked without any preamble.

"Yeah, I'm about 8 hours away. What's wrong? I need some backup here in the yard. I'll explain when you get here." Bobby said and then hung up. He knew Rufus would be there as soon as possible, but he had bigger fish to fry. Bobby grabbed the cold peas and went back to the huddle on the couch. Carefully he set the peas on Dean's head.

"Stay awake, son. I'll be here if you need somethin'," Bobby said, picking up a book and sitting on the other couch."

-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-

The day had been extremely long. Bobby stayed with Dean, occasionally making the kid talk to him and checking his eyes. They had somewhat returned to their average size, but the kid had one raging headache. Which didn't surprise Bobby much, but he was worried about Dean not being seen by a professional. He'd almost made his mind up to take him in when he heard and knock on the door. Rufus, it had to be Rufus, but still, he double-checks through the window.

It was a very shamefaced john.

Bobby saw red for a moment – the nerve of this guy. He beat the shit out of his son only 9 hours ago now he was back? The idjit wants to be shot. Bobby breathed and looked again. John did look completely different than this morning. Maybe he had sobered up and came to apologize. Even so, Bobby didn't want him around Dean and didn't want to give him another chance to hurt the kid.

Bobby grabbed his gun, opened the door, and stepped on the snowy porch. John was surprised and stumbled back a step before looking back at his "friend" with weary eyes.

"I should shoot you were your standin'," Bobby growled.

John looked down, cowed, and nodded slightly.

"Is he alright?" John asked hesitantly.

"IS HE ALRIGHT?!" Bobby bellowed, stomping his foot and shoving his finger into John's chest. "YOU BRAINED THAT KID!" He yelled, shoving the hunter in the chest.

John's eyes flashed with anger for a second, then he looked down again, chastised.

"Is he alright?" John asked again. "Is there any…" John sighed "give this to him and tell him to call me. Please." John asked, pushing Dean's silver flip phone into Bobby's hand.

"What is going on here?" asked a new voice. Rufus.

"Hello, John," Rufus said, walking up to the pair.

"Rufus," John said, shaking the other man's hand.

"Bobby, why did you bring me out here?" Rufus asked.

"I need you to look at Dean. He is inside. I'll be there in a moment but let me take out the trash first." Bobby said, opening the door for his old friend before bobby looked back at John.

"John, I want you out of here. You can only come back if Dean wants ya' here 'cause I sure don't. That is if you didn't scramble his brains to the point he has brain damage. He came here cause he got hurt and had a migraine that knocked him on his ass. Sometimes I wonder if you make it your job to make both your boys miserable. Now get out of here! If he's up to it, Dean will talk to ya' later. Your lucky he's the forgiven type." Bobby finished by slamming the door in John's face for the second time that day.

Inside, Rufus stood beside the door with a dark look, apparently listening to Bobby's speech. Dean was also sitting up, looking blurrily at Rufus and Bobby. Half of the young man's face was a bruise, and the other was tight with pain. He was holding onto the couch with white knuckles, and looked like he was about to fall over. Bobby walked over to Dean and knelt in front of him. Rufus followed and looked over Bobby's shoulder.

"Shit Dean. You really got clobbered." Rufus said, noting the still slightly mismatched pupils.

"'s everythin' okay," Dean asked looking between the two men. "'s Dad okay?"

"You idjit. Your dad is fine." Bobby said bluntly. "You are not. We need to get you checked out. Rufus is here, and he's gonna look ya over." Bobby said in a much calmer tone.

Dean just hummed, seeming satisfied to hear his dad was okay.

"Let me get my medical bag out of the car first." Bobby heard the door close and looked over at Dean again. Rufus gathered all the information he needed from Bobby's conversation with John.

"Has it gotten any better?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, not any worse. Just eyes hurt." Dean said, letting them close against the light in the room. Bobby reached up and squeezed his shoulder slightly. Feeling relieved that Dean said there was some improvement.

-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-

Rufus stood from where he had examined Dean and declared he was fit as could be expected and didn't think that they needed to take him to the hospital. Bobby was relieved but watched the boy like a hawk while he and Rufus caught up. Both men helped the still-dizzy hunter up the stairs and onto his bed. Dean was out before getting under the blankets. Finally, Dean was cleared for sleep.

Leaving Bobby and Rufus to finally address the elephant in the room, John.

"How long do you think this has been happening?" Rufus asks Bobby tiredly.

"I honestly don't know. I always knew he was hard on those boys, but I didn't think he'd ever beat them. Hopefully, this is a one-off, and we are just reading too much into this situation." Bobby finished taking one last long draft from his beer and setting the empty on the counter. But Bobby knew that wasn't the case. He felt it deep inside him. John had abused those kids.